A Different Destiny
by Annabeth Chase 14
Summary: It's been a millennia since I've seen it. Since I've seen the planet. The place that changed my life for the worse. If Lady Chaos had not saved us and taken us in, there is no doubt I would have opposed the gods. Now, because of the threat arisen, I have to go back. Back to face the problems I ran away from. I never forgot them, but I'll never forgive. Disguised, we're returning.


**Hey, please call me Kathie. This is my first, real, fan fiction. I am really excited to be writing this! I will update every… month, at the latest, and I really hope you enjoy my story. It's going to be amazing! I'm aiming to write one thousand words per day- but it's really difficult as I have my end of year exams – cue the shudders – and am really, really, exhausted. I am younger than most writers... When the exams are done, I'll try to update more frequently- once every two weeks or so? Thank you for reading this, and please review! That magical button… Please. **

**- Piper McLean - **

The seven of us were covered in sweat and grime, dirt and monster dust. It turns out that we really were; in fact quite literally pawns of the gods, born and bred to create a game of death. There were no winners. Survivors, maybe, and those who weren't. The battle was faring well, but I could only hope that my friends and I could make it out alive. _Please._ So many allies had died; I wasn't sure how much more the rest of us could take.

My leg throbbed furiously; one of the hellhounds had bitten me hard, and I could see the whiteness of bone under the thin layer of bloodied skin. I grimaced as one of the empousai launched herself at me and I deflected her blow. She furiously retaliated, malicious for all her kinsfolk had been brutally slaughtered and turned to dust. She froze and retreated, all the while her beady eyes focused on me. I rolled my eyes, aggravated.

The enemy lines had almost been shattered and many monsters were running in chaos, struggling to find a commander. I kicked the nearest hellhound all the while keeping an eye on the stealthy empousa. With my heeled boot, I left a jagged hole in its side. What? Is it against the law to have black boots with retractable knives? I felt claws rake my chest but before it could do any real damage I plunged my dagger into another one of it's wounds, and it exploded into dust.

The empousa had clearly gotten tired of stalking her prey, and lunged from behind, saliva dripping from her jaws like a wild animal. But I was ready. I spun around and much to her surprise, threw my knife, Katoptris, at her at a 90-degree angle, easily impaling her lungs and watching coldly as she coughed up blood and dirt. I effortlessly picked up my knife.

I stalked around her, but not until I heard her disintegrate did I let my guard down, and started hunting other monsters. I scanned the battle and heard a frightened scream over the clashing weapons. Wiping the sweat from my eyes, I spotted the source and was horrified to see Lacy lying on the ground, blood flowing jerkily from her neck. A hellhound viciously snarled and pounded away with her blood on its teeth.

I ran over to her bloodstained figure and desperately held ripped some cloth from under my metal plated breastplate. I pressed it quickly to her throat wound, yet the flimsy cotton was soaked within seconds. Her deep blue eyes had a glassy look to them, as the red liquid pulsed, a dying force soaking into the sand. I tried to ignore the fang-shaped bite protruding from the side of her throat; cradled her head in my lap. Her eyes held a whisper of a smile, and she nodded breathlessly as her life force ebbed away.

Her eyes became unfocused and she stared distantly at the sky, her eyes reflecting the blue of the void and the white of the spotless clouds._ Such a beautiful day marked such a terrible destiny_, I thought sadly to myself.

I have her one last kiss on her forehead and tore myself away, molten fury pumping through every vein in my heart. Remorse for my dead little sister fueled my anger, and I hunted and demolished the hellhound that had caused her demise. Fuming, I turned around, looking for something, _anything_ to kill.

Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Coach Hedge screaming at the top of his lungs, as Mellie floated gently beside him, holding her bloated stomach. She had insisted on coming to help, even if she couldn't be much use on the battlefield.

"All you cupcakes better listen to me, you got five seconds to run, one, three, _five_!" He charged at the line of dracanae, and started bashing them with his club. A ghost of a smile flitted across my lips. Mellie looked absolutely transfixed, while flickering her hand to summon small winds.

Unnoticed, a manticore snuck up behind Mellie. I let out a yell of warning, and she spun daintily around, preparing to give the monster a piece of her mind. Coach Hedge got there first. He pounded Dr. Thorn to the ground, giving him a few good lashes on the head. The manticore was unprepared for such an abrupt attack, and there was no room for him to aim and shoot his deadly weapons.

"No one touches her." Coach snarled, in such a dangerous tone that the monster seemed to shudder, his angry yellow eyes glaring. Mellie spotted me, and gave me a slightly mortified glance, than put a calming hand on his shoulder.

"Fine," he muttered. "I'll still kill you though," he added in a whisper when he thought Mellie wasn't listening. He gave the manticore one last whack on the head, and Dr. Thorn fell into unconsciousness. Even from ten meters away, I heard the breathtaking _crack_. Mellie made shooing motions at his remains, urging the winds to sweep him away. Stifling a smile, I turned around.

I spotted Annabeth and Percy fighting back-to-back, still a bit frail from Tartarus, but otherwise full of energy and adrenaline. They advanced on a horde of monsters, yelling defiance. Grover was playing on his… Fiddle? No, flute. The weeds and wildlife obeyed his command and inflicted both minor and major damage on the army. Hazel was fighting with her _spatha_ and summoning gems to hurl at the monsters. Frank was next to her, a rabid, charging bull. Good Frank.

I bit my lip, drawing blood, and once again studied the battle. From behind me, the tip of a blade cut the side of my neck, and I turned around, glowering. The attacker had braided regal hair, and looked Persian. Her eyes shone with thinly concealed arrogance, but they also had a protective look. Her skin had a coppery look to them, her face sun kissed, and she stood with an air of nobility, though wearing black sneakers and a gray t-shirt. _Not very sensible with the sun beating down_, I thought, glaring venomously at her.

She did not flinch.

Glaring back in return, I felt some of my original confidence drain away. Her skin glowed with natural beauty, and she looked energized, like she had not been fighting at all. She redrew her knife blade and slashed at me. I confidently deflected the shot, but it took some effort, and to my surprise I found hidden force behind the blow.

At my stunned expression, Princess-Lady analyzed my face, studying it carefully and her eyes narrowed victoriously. She started to attack, slashing mercilessly. Two or three times her knife was dangerously close to my throat. Two or three times I was dangerously close to hers'. Distinctive black eyes were locked on mine, taking glances at the blades from time to time. Eyes glinting, she suddenly stopped fighting, holding my dagger at a freeze point. Her breathing evened, while mine grew ragged and desperate. Her eyes shone like molten magma under sizzling volcanic rock.

I struggled against brute force, my muscles screaming. Her eyes widened in satisfaction and I narrowed mine. It looked like she wasn't even at her full extent of power! With an angry yell, I detangled my knife and launched myself at her, hoping to be able to sink Katoptris into flesh. Instead, she dodged, snaking her way around me; I landed on the floor in an undignified pile, on my backside. _Great. _I thought gloomily as blood trickled from my brow.

Before I could recover, Princess-Lady lunged swiftly, placing her knee on my chest and looking at me with surprisingly fierce glowing eyes. I could have drowned in those depths of regret and fury. Her silky black hair framed her face, and she looked at me with grudging respect.

What she did next surprised me, filled me with gratitude but also aggravation. She remorsefully lifted her knee off my chest, upturning the corners of her lips in an attempt of a smile.

"Apologies." I tried to disintegrate her with my eyes.

"I am given orders. A-although," she added, seeming to struggle with the word. "Thou are skilled." To my utter horror and surprise, her eyes ignited. A translucent black fire dilated her pupils, pulsing and glowing. She murmured a few words and pressed her index finger on my forehead.

I felt something burn through my body, sending little tremors and sparks which I coughed up. I felt slightly dizzy. But by the time I had been relieved of pressure, she was gone- melted into the air like water vapor. Probably a daughter of Hades we were not aware of, the train of thought came distantly. Oh well. Does Hazel know she has a sister? I snapped out of my trance. The world still seemed out of color and shadowed.

"What the hell was that for?" I yelled stupidly at the air. I felt the ground tremble.

"What is the matter with you?" I jumped at the sound. Nico was standing behind me, his arms folded disapprovingly across his chest. Warily, I turned to face him, the world still spinning in three dimensions. He glowered at me, and I glared right back.

"It's not like I did anything wrong!"

Nico gave me look like _are-you-serious_. Frowning, I met his gaze, and noticed there was caution in his eyes. Was there something behind me? I spin tiredly around, but it is the usual battle clanging, yelling, and the agonizing shrieks of the enemy being demolished. I to face him. By the time I do, he seems to have recovered from his shock.

"They're black." Nico stated emotionlessly, his cold exterior wall suddenly built again. I frowned. "What?" I must have been visibly confused, because he restated his sentence.

He glared sarcastically; a hint of his old self seemed to be overshadowing the former. "Oh, it's nothing. It's just, I don't know, but _you're eyes are on fire. _Brilliant_._ The fire is black by the way."

I tried to look at them, but of course that was hopeless. I could see nothing but the top of my eyelids. Strange; rather stupid to be honest. I almost asked him if he had a mirror but obviously the only person who would have a mirror in battle would either be Drew, Mitchell, or Lacy.

Suddenly, I remembered Katoptris. Looking glass. I glanced into the mirror, desperate to see the flames. And I did. My eye sockets were filled with black fire, deep translucent black, and I had to stop myself from screaming out loud. As it was, I had leapt back a few steps. I could still see my cherokee pupils, but they were hidden behind the wall and shield of flame. While I was studying my eyes, Nico had gone, unnoticed back into the shadows. Though the world was still rotating slightly, I managed to see a clear reflection.

Too soon, I heard a menacing snarl behind me, and turned around, flipping my parazonium quickly back into my fencer's grip and facing the new challenge. As soon as the hellhound saw my eyes, it raced away howling in terror, tail between its legs. My eyes were that creepy, huh? Chasing the retreating monster, I tripped and rammed into an exhausted Annabeth, who looked about to gut me when she saw who I was. She gave me a thumbs up and a bored glance: _your-eyes-are-on-fire-oh-well-I've-seen-weirder_.

I went back to chasing the hellhound, meanwhile knocking down dracanae and stabbing a Laistrygonian Giant in the foot. I would've thought it felt like a pinprick, but the giant howled angrily, and toppled off balance, falling with a crash and crushing Kampé. Laughing hysterically at what I'd done, I caught up and impaled the hellhound in the stomach. I was breathed heavily, still tired from my marathon. It was exhilarating.

I blew the dust off my knife before slowly going to find the others. They were fighting off several monsters at a time, and my heart again leapt in worry for my friends. I spotted Jason finishing off the Laistrygonian Giant and Leo rapidly summoning food from his tool belt; stuffing them down each monster's throat. I let out a strangled, mutilated laugh, my voice box raspy from the smoke. Flame on Leo, flame on. He shot a wall of fire at a few hellhounds, and they exploded, leaving behind a ghastly smell, and raining gold dust on Leo.

Hazel had stopped fighting with her _spatha_, and was using all of her metal resources to their full extent. She pelted the army with gold and diamonds from an _endless_ supply. I mean we're fighting in a _desert_. The Egyptians could have buried tons of gold here, as well as mummified objects. At that moment, Hazel struck gold. Literally. A huge chunk of gold was lifted from the ground, and released from the air at a high altitude. Oh geez. I think that was a pyramid. The outline of the glittering artifact spun out of control in my delusional eyes.

The world started rotating once more and I shivered uncontrollably. What was happening to me? The shape outlines turned fuzzy, and my mind grasped at basic shapes uneasily. I felt dizzy and confused. No, not _now_! My sanity faded away, and I felt completely calm and at peace, though I was blinded as the sunlight reflected into my eyes. The battle tilted at a sickening pace.

Monsters turned at a shocking angle.

Slowly walking towards me: not even flinching when some of the demigods struck them down. Instead of turning to dust, they continued walking, sand pouring out of the wounds, healing them. Possessed? Inferi? I don't know! My heart thudded rapidly against my breastplate and I clutched Katoptris close. Good lord, about seventy monsters were stalking towards me and I was trying to defend myself with a dagger_. I'm doomed. _

Aphrodite walked calmly towards me, as if hoping to help. Arrows shot out of the sand, points of earth, leaf, and metal, binding her to the floor. The arrow pierced through her arms and expanded, keeping her anchored to the ground as golden ichor pooled around her. She screamed in agony. The ground shook with laughter. As if a signal, in the battlefield directly below the Olympians, the same arrows were released, chaining each god to the floor. They impaled legs, arms, even chests, but the gods could not die. They were chained, sinking slowly into the sandy earth.

"No!" Ares yelled, straining to get to Aphrodite, who had passed out from pain. Her blonde hair lay strewn on the bloody ground and her face was pale and white. Hestia hissed in frustration, after trying to burn the chain off, emitting light and fire. Artemis forbid her hunters to come near, and Zeus yelled in pain, his pride wounded. Poseidon was using hardened water to slowly chip away at his bonds, and taking quick desperate glances at Percy who was trying to help him.

All the while, the monsters stalked nearer.

Shakily, I drew my spare sword. I'm absolute rubbish with them, and I promised myself I'd never use the thing. The monsters were slowly inching closer. Seven meters. I racked my brains. Five. A thought of pure inspiration hit me.

"Gaea." I spoke to the monsters, hoping, _begging_, my hunch was correct. If you looked at the monsters closely, you could see that they had a traumatized look to them, unfocused and glassy. Gaea was living through them. They stopped. Three meters.

Every single monster hissed. Gaea's voice echoed through their' throats, a hoarse rasp. "A stroke of luck, Piper." She coughed.

"I wonder… Are you brave, stupid, or both? Do you wish to die," She coughed again, "the same way as your father?" I heard Aphrodite sob from her bonds, regaining consciousness. My father? No, he couldn't be…impossible.

Gaea just let out a stronger laugh. "I killed him." I could imagine her unwavering smile. "I have his blood on my hands. Scared out of his mind he was. The coward." The monsters hissed in pleasure at my distress. I clutched my head in misery, a splitting headache made my vision fade in to dull, dark colors.

Images flashed though my mind. My most valuable memories. Dad was holding out a birthday cake, waiting for me to blow out the candles. The cake was crooked, and it's frosting was orange. But that's what made it special. It wasn't one of the fancy bought cakes from the _Paris Baguette_. It was the only one that he had baked. Himself. I saw each birthday after that, my dad paying special attention to _me_ for once. The one time in a year that he valued my time more than Jane's. The momentary kept rolling. I saw different scenes as I progressed though life. I grew up. I saw my face go from baby fat and plump pink lips to high cheekbones and pearly white teeth. I saw my father's eyes grow darker and unsure.

I saw myself surfing with my dad, completely failing but having a fun time.

I saw my quest with Jason and Leo, and my boyfriend's arms tucked gently around me as he lifted us back to safety. I relived the moment when my father told me I was a hero. A _real_ hero. I saw the Jason and I hugging on the Argo ll. But the slideshow stopped. I was left with one picture, just one. The scene was captured. It was right now. I say myself stained with grime and drenched in blood. The scene faded to black, but not before I noticed something. A bloodstained figure appeared in the background, clutching a knife. Tristan McLean faded from the scene. The figure disappeared. That could only mean on thing: Dad… dad was dead.

Coming back to reality, I noticed I was surrounded by monsters. I didn't care. I had only one target, and that was my father's murderer. I shakily stood up- I hadn't realized I'd fallen. My eyes were slits of hatred and venom. There was no one to help me. The hunters were assisting Artemis, and the campers were either too scared or too arrogant. The gods were chained. The seven were helping their godly parents.

"If I die," I hissed like a snake, "than I'll take you with me!" Gaea's thundering laugh bellowed across the desert. Oh no. Where was Zeus? I saw each of the gods sink a little deeper. Every monster stepped forward, their eyes still misty, to form a shield. From the army away, I say a figure slowly becoming solid. Gaea.

Recklessly lashing out, I instinctively made a gesture with my hand like a claw. Blinding black-hot fire shot from the end of my fingertips, disintegrating the first line of monsters. The battlefield was deadly silent. I stared with complete and utter astonishment at the end of my fingers. What the hell did I _do_? Gaea's voice turned shrill with fear.

"What game are you playing at? Stop this! _The fates forbid you to interfere_!" I ignored her. Was she even talking to me? Making the claw sign again, I lashed out at the flinching monsters, relishing as the flames once again burned them, sending the second line of the enemy to Tartarus. _Sweet._

The monsters hesitated, looking like they wanted to either run or go to the toilet. Athena and Artemis had disappeared. Only the top of Demeter's head was visible. No, please no… Gaea's voice rung loud and clear, gaining strength.

"Very well, _Auntie_," Gaea's voice snarled mockingly. "I simply will have an even more powerful blood sacrifice!" The monsters charged. Quickly, put my hand on my heart as if I had done it a million times. I thought about all of the memories I had seen, the happy and the horrid. I thought about my father, my friends, and even Jane in a positive light, something I had never done before. I closed my eyes.

I thought of Hazel, the girl that's always been there for me, Annabeth, the de facto leader of the quest. I thought of Percy, a lifesaver to me, Jason, my extremely handsome boyfriend, Leo, my first _real_ friend, and finally Frank, who had defended me at all costs. The seven.

Once again, I made a claw over my heart. I used both hands; I held them out in front of me like a shield. Acrid fire exploded from my palms, with far more intensity then Leo, who frankly looked completely insulted. Even in the dangerous situation, he managed to make a joke.

"Aw, man," He complained, barely sustaining a laugh. "And here I thought_ I_ was the only flame dude." Hermes cracked a smile, even from his bonds.

"I like your kid, Hephaestus." He stated happily. "That's a first. He's cool. Now, if he just learned a few pranks then-" He was cut of as the earth filled his mouth. Piper started to panic. The fire raged strong still, but she knew it would come to a halt. She couldn't do this forever, and already the fire seemed to be sapping her energy. Still. Maybe if the monsters were stupid enough to continue…

The monsters had been stupidly raising their weapons (which had later been melted into a puddle of goo) and charging straight at the wall of fire, as if hoping to break it. They, obviously, had been burned, and their essence was swept away by a nervous Mellie. She had Coach Hedge at her side, glaring at the monsters and swinging his bat aggressively over his head.

"I'd like to see you try, cupcakes!" He yelled. He glared at one particular monster.

"Yeah that's right. Just one step closer…"

I had a plan. If it would work, was a whole different story. I prayed to whichever god foresaw crazy attempts of fire sorcery. Hestia and Hecate were my best guesses. Please. With all my strength, I pushed my hands as far away from my body as they would go, forgetting all of the happy thoughts I had had. The fire spread in a circle, and I emitted a pulsing aura. My feet felt as light as air, and looking down, I realized I was floating several feet off the ground, and away from Gaea. A colossal force of pure power shot into the monsters, each of them letting out a painful scream, before disintegrating slowly, one limb at a time. The fire diminished. The silence was horrible; not a single being moved.

I saw Hazel and Nico gasp at the number of deaths I had caused. Somehow, for a son of Hades, the latter somehow managed to turn a shade paler. I felt awful. The light I had been reflecting, echoed within me and my nose and mouth filled with pink smoke, the smell of perfume._ That's just... sad_. My half conscious brain managed to think of the one thought before being wiped into a blank slate once more.

The exhilarating result seemed to overwhelm my mind and in an instant, and I was falling at the speed of sound and hit the ground with the force of a meteorite. I was exhausted, and the wind was knocked out of me. All of my energy was drained, and the darkness called to me. Without a second thought, I succumbed to it, and fell, limp as a rag doll. Delirious.

What felt like a year after, I distantly heard a voice annoyingly continue to pester and echo around my brain. I had a throbbing headache and my leg felt dead numb. I think I was clawed by a hellhound? Warm, graceful fingers brushed the tip of my nose, stroking my forehead.

"Look, she's stirring." Oh. Well, it doesn't take much to know who that is. She hasn't got an ounce of compassion in her, unless it's her _seaweed brain_. Ugh.

"Really? I'd never have guessed. I hope she's okay, that must have been really _tiring_." I shook my head. That voice was a little harder to recognize, but I managed. The voice was gentle and quiet, must be Hazel. I strained my ears for the smallest sounds, clinging to the hope that Jason's quiet footsteps would approach.

No sound reached my ears, apart from the pitter-patter of the rain.

Pretending I hadn't been eavesdropping on their conversation, I blearily blinked the sleep from my eyes, trying to focus on anything besides my head. I found Hazel – told you – sat on my left supporting my injured leg and stroking my forehead with gentle warm fingers. Hazel sighed as Annabeth droned on and on… Battle events...Monsters…Fire…as if I wanted to listen. I was_ there_, thank you very much.

Hazel tentatively offered me a cup of water. Ah, that explains how her hand was so warm: she must've been holding it. I downed the cup of water and felt a surge of relief as my parched throat received moisture. Painfully, I scanned my surroundings and noticed that I was in the camp hospital and supported by a large wooden bed. I eventually focused my hearing on her.

"So we were all fighting, and the monsters attacked you. They left their fights, all of them at one time. They were hypnotized. Like charmspeak, their eyes were unfocused and glassy. It was extremely frightening, but as the horde of monsters came, you floated and looked like you had the blessing of Aphrodite all over! You then let out a blinding flame halo and it was like a circle expanding that evaporated all of the monsters! It was shocking, and this flame halo-" _Ugh…_

I sighed as I continued to listen to Annabeth's long, boring review. Did I ever tell you how bland and boring she is?

"-then incinerated, _every single one_." She said the words slowly and carefully. Annabeth finished looking at me like a schoolchild would the teacher, as if her evaluation of the battle would be graded. Then I realized she was looking at me in slight _fear_ and _interest_. I was surprised. I was still the same old Piper. Her gray eyes held the slightest trace of suspicion, and I had to avoid cringing, I felt like an experiment.

"Yeah…" Hazel added quickly, "But then Gaia sent the gods a letter and sai-" Her voice was suddenly muffled, and I painfully craned my neck to see Annabeth holding her hand up to Hazels mouth and smiling sheepishly. She removed her hands and gave Hazel a sharp glance, the latter giving Annabeth a ferocious glare.

"She said that she was going back to sleep," Annabeth finished. "Because we completely diminished her forces." I crossed my fingers and begged she was telling the truth.

"Um… yeah. _That's_ what I was going to say." Hazel's voice broke into my prayer, and held remorse and dislike. She then attempted to hug me, smiling. I inwardly cringed as her fingers connected with my ribcage. The throbbing in my chest increased, while she hugged me painfully.

"We missed you," she told me honestly. "Well, at least I did." I didn't ask what she meant for two reasons. One, because I was afraid of the answer. Two, I was hoping that Jason was here. That _he_ would miss me.

I heard Percy stir from a few beds away from me and was horrified at the state he was in. His nose looked bloody, probably broken, and what I could see, he had a dislocated shoulder. How had no one treated that? And I couldn't even see his legs, so who knew what state _they_ would be in… Why hadn't he had ambrosia? Annabeth hesitantly ran over to him and watched him fall asleep again. Ahh, young love.

"So, Hazel," I said with slight humor and irritation. I was still puzzling over the ambrosia issue. Was it too much to spare? I didn't think so, as both Hazel and Annabeth had not a single scratch on them. Hazel smiled genuinely a look of innocence making her gold eyes sparkle.

"Yes?" She inquired briefly.

Unfortunately, the pounding in my skull intensified and I had no choice but to lay back down on the pillow. I also noticed that Hazel's eyes were slightly unfocused and she was rubbing them, like they itched like crazy. They were also really red, should she get some anti-itch? I changed my original question due to her actions.

"What's the matter?" I asked, answering her question with another. She frowned at me like I shouldn't ask her that. Her eyes became hard blank slates completely void of emotion. "Nothing," she replied in monotone, as if this had been rehearsed.

I sighed, even though it made my chest ache. Anyone could read her like a book, she was far too obvious. I looked into her crisp gold eyes and noticed that her face had been briefly scrubbed and washed. I wondered what she was hiding, and her eyes narrowed as the thoughtfulness in my eyes quickly receded. I think she had guessed I was determined to find out. Annabeth had stopped watching over Percy and headed over. Hazel looked panicked, than adjusted her stance to look like she'd done nothing.

"Nothing," she repeated, with more force against. "I'm tired and got an eye infection." Annabeth nodded approvingly while Hazel glared freaking daggers at her. Honestly. It was really scary seeing someone you knew, someone so innocent and kind, glare like a _Thalia_. I wisely decided not to press the subject. Once again, I thought of my boyfriend, with his cute staple scar and dimples.

"Speaking of such, where is Jason?" I asked Annabeth shrugged carelessly. She looked quietly bemused. It was the look she gave me when I first got to camp, after she had yelled at Jason about his one shoe.

"I don't know, I don't care." She hesitated. "Camp Jupiter though, I think." I hated Annabeth, and I hated myself for being so… I don't know. Test-subject-able? Glowering at her, I twisted my head around to look at Hazel.

"I'm not exactly sure, but he is alive and not _too _injured," Hazel said helpfully. I couldn't shake of the vibe that they both couldn't care less.

Annabeth plainly didn't care unless it was about her, or Percy. But I'd even started to doubt _that_, seeing as Percy was lying in bed with about a million badly treated wounds. Jeez. Summoning my remaining strength, I tried to inflict injury on her. Key word: _tried_.

_Damn, that hurts_, my mind screams as I slowly drag my burning thigh and connect with her leg. It comes up as more of a tap on her kneecap, and she chuckles. For the first time, I give both the girls an onceover, after all, outfits are all an Aphrodite girl has right? Yaaaay.

Hazel was dressed in ordinary blue skinny jeans, with the usual Camp Half Blood tee. At that moment I had to admit it complimented her tanned skin well. For the first time I noticed that her eyes radiated danger, and she wore a sliver headband, sandals and ribbon, keeping her fluffy chocolate hair out of her face. She wore a silver necklace, which I had to admit looked amazing against her bronze skin. Her SPQR arm looked really pretty and the burnt signs just proved how tough she was. She had cover-up under her eyes, but I still noticed the bags she tried to keep hidden. I also noticed, to my suspicion that her eyeliner was slightly smeared.

Did it have anything to do with the other issue? Had she been crying? I think so. Ugh. Why does life have to be so _complicated_?

Meanwhile, Annabeth was dressed in a white blouse with a grey owl reading a book and ripped jean shorts. Why not a Camp Half Blood shirt? She was wearing grey sneakers as well. At least it fits her snarky attitude. She was wearing a grey pearl necklace and about three different bracelets. She was wearing silver eyeliner and slight blue eye shadow, defining her gray pupils. She even wore an anklet, with a silver moon embroidered on it. How nice. Since when did Annabeth wear jewelry and makeup?

"Great, thanks," I muttered, half sarcasm, half gratitude. On one hand, it was good that Jason was alive. On the other hand, why hadn't he visited? Annabeth stood and starts to help me sit up, and I lean on her heavily. I drag my burning leg out of the covers and feel faint when I see my kneecap, the largest bandage I've ever seen stretches from my thigh to my ankle, but worse is the jagged stiches across the wound, and poor workmanship done with it. Pus has gathered on the edges of the jagged slash, and I try to ignore the puffy slit skin beside it.

It would be right to say that I was disgruntled, horrified, and a little bit insulted even. Here I was, the Heroine of Olympus, – even if they hated me – the least they can do is get a good quality doctor! Hazel sees my expression and sends me a sympathetic look while sighing sadly. She then gently takes my left arm while Annabeth grabs my right.

They both hurriedly heave me out of bed knowing the more they hesitate the more pain I'll be in. The burning in my collarbone and leg increase tenfold, while my headache feels like a deadweight hammer. My left foot is twisted, it must've happened when I fell. Limping and using the girls as support, I drag myself to the entrance.

I grit my teeth and face the pain head on, but the moment my feet connect to the ground a feeling of absolute excruciation overcomes me. It's all I can do to wait it out. Walking out of the infirmary, in the daytime, with the sun shining, the rain fading, rainbows blooming, and the birds chirping, you'd expect there to be lots of people welcoming you home, but noo, they just stare at you. Dead silence occurred while I was facing my dreadfully painful walk. I could see many campers look out of their respectable cabins and their' eyes were as wide as moons. _Yeah, it's me, hello to you too_, I thought sarcastically.

Then I noticed pulses of blood that had started to leak out of my mouth and attempted to alert Hazel and Annabeth. The former looked at me- shocked, while the latter- well, it was more irritation than anything else. The pair of them dragged me real fast to the big house and set me down on the couch, calling franticly to Chiron. I lay weakly on the couch from blood loss; there was a long trail of red splatter leading from the infirmary to the big house. Meanwhile, I was staining Chiron's sofa with blood. I see the feather in my braided hair a mess, clogged with blood and stained with grime.

"My dear, are you alright?" I faintly heard Chiron ask in the background of the blurry landscape, and I feel my eyes focus slightly. I saw his horse-like hooves canter up to me and with the little strength I had I stared at him with an exasperated and sarcastic expression. I felt unstable from blood loss. Mental. It actually felt lovely and I welcomed the feeling.

At the edge of my vision, I saw campers start to gather at the edge of the big house, looking at Chiron questioningly. He shook his head slightly, and they relaxed.

"Obviously I'm fine, Chiron." I said sarcastically, answering his question. "I mean, it's not like I'm _dying_ or anything. It's not like no one gave me ambrosia." I freaking glared daggers at him for a minute straight. Brilliant. I naturally have to lose my temper _here_, in front of the entire camp. Of course.

I continued my rant, only pausing to glare now and then. "It's always _me_, Chiron, I'm considered weak just because of my _heritage_! It's all right for everyone else here, I'd rather be the daughter of a _minor_ god if it would stop people underestimating me!" The crowd behind me starts muttering angrily, especially my remaining siblings.

"Oh, little dumpster queen is on a roll," Drew hissed viciously. "She's just a wanna-be." The crowd muttered some more, seemingly agreeing with her. I waited a few seconds before my headache couldn't get any worse.

"_Shut up_!" I snarled carnivorously, and immediately the gathering demigods fell silent. I couldn't tell if it was the charmspeak, or if they had just never heard me use that tone.

Chiron looks embarrassed, and I have to stop myself from painfully turning around. I knew I'd attracted a crowd, but why they were all ignoring me and giving me nervous looks were a different story. I frown distrustfully at him for a moment, though I know it's entirely the Gods' faults. I just needed someone to blame, and unfortunately, Chiron was the first person I thought of.

"At the very least, I need some ambrosia," I state obviously. All emotion I had wielded had been washed away like a summer's breeze. Annabeth and a few of the campers fidgeted uncomfortably, as I managed to turn around. Damn bite.

Chiron rests his hand kindly on my mine and speaks in a gentle tone. "I think there are some things we need to discuss."

Eventually, after Chiron had calmed the campers down, he placed a soft hand on my _un_injured shoulder, and guided me towards the back of the room, - which I later found out was his study - and Annabeth and Hazel followed.

I inspected the room and was surprised to see that it had not a speck of dust, spotless. Of course, then you would have to ignore the large amount of letters everywhere, harder than you'd actually think. Chiron got us settled on the gray couch and began talking.

"I am sorry for the … unfortunate incidents, and hopefully this will clear things up for you-"

"It better," I interrupted softly, dropping the emotionless facade slightly. "Because I'm sick of being a player in the gods' games, and I certainly do not need anymore lies."

Chiron winced at my tone, and put on his best mature adult face.

"Now, please don't speak to me like that. Now can we please get on to the real reason you are here?" I nodded stiffly and he continued.

"Well, we did try ambrosia." I raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "I swear it on the river," he added worriedly, when he saw my distrustful expression.

"But it failed to work. For some reason, the ambrosia regarded you as a mere mortal, and would have proceeded to burn you to ash, if Thalia hadn't zapped you into choking it up." Chiron muttered, almost inaudible.

I frowned, there was something missing. "Where is Thalia." It wasn't a question. We had developed a sisterly bond, despite the fact her mistress and my mother were polar opposites, not to mention enemies.

He looked worried for a second, before replying, "She's with the hunters. Artemis had a mission for her and her sisters to complete." It was a lie. I could see the sadness and remorse in his eyes.

"Really." I asked him, my tone suggesting I believed otherwise. "Where is she?" I managed to spit the words out though gritted teeth. "I didn't come here for _more_ lies, Chiron, and I suggest you tell me the truth." His eyes shone with slight anger at being spoken to in such a nasty voice.

"I can't. The gods have made me swear on the Styx that I would not breathe a word of her location." My eyes narrowed and I stared into his for a brief second but it seemed like eternity. I would have charmspoken him into telling me where my boyfriend's sister was, but I was exhausted, and at least he was telling the truth about the gods.

Hazel looked like she was going to scream at him- her face was becoming flushed and her eyes shone like molten lava, while Annabeth looked strained. She gave me a reassuring pat on the shoulder, but the force packed behind it… Why couldn't she have just punched me?

"I refuse to drop the topic." I stated angrily. "_Where is Thalia?_ Are you hurting her? What have yo-" I was rudely interrupted by Annabeth.

"You know, the real reason Chiron brought us here, is to explain _everything_. And I can assure you Thalia is _fine_." She growled at me. Hazel put a hand on her shoulder immediately.

I nodded and forced back my comment, at least knowing she was _okay_. Considering Annabeth's definition of 'okay' I was worried. I turned back to Chiron who was awkwardly eyeing the floor.

"Percy cooled the burning part of your body," he motioned to the bandage, and I experimentally tore the other bandage off my leg and gaped at the charred flesh. _That_ would leave a mark. I gasped in anguish as the wound was exposed to cold air. I immediately slapped the bandage on; a little protection was better than none. Chiron mumbled a curse as he glowered at the wound.

"You should be thankful to Percy," he continued, "If not for him, your body would have caught aflame." Remind me to thank him for that later. Like really think him. That reminds me… wasn't he in the infirmary too? Last I saw him, he had wounds as bad as mine, if not worse.

"But what about Percy?" I accused. "And how the _hell_ am I reduced to 'regular mortal' status? Is Percy the same?" I directed all my questions at Chiron, making him flinch at the intensity.

"Same, I don't know, and yes, in that order." I unwillingly felt slight understanding creep through my veins and nodded briskly, though it caused me a shoulder cramp. We had never really had the beginnings of a friendship, nor rivalry, we're simply neutral.

"I understand, Chiron," I say politely, with thinly veiled sarcasm, more just for the sake of it than anything else. I look at Hazel who is still being intimidated by Annabeth's stormy grey eyes, but started to glare back, gold against grey. The latter has a readable _you-will-not-tell-me-what-to-do_ expression, and marches off the Athena cabin.

I give Chiron a forced handshake and ask the quiet Hazel to lead me back to the infirmary. She helped me up, but de facto carried me to the camp hospital. I didn't realize how much time I had spent in Chiron's office, because the sun had already set. The night was deadly silent, and I asked Hazel for the time and she briefly looked up at the moon told me that it was almost eight, but she wasn't positive. I limped and almost shrieked in agony when my injured leg hit the camp bed.

Hazel settled me carefully on the mattress and after tucking the covers over my injured leg she gently washed the blood out of my hair.

She firmly told me; "You have to be taken care of, because you're injured. You would've done the same for me." I frown. What was with her? Normally Hazel, though still on the quiet side was usually determined to share her ideas and express her opinion. She had been through the fair share of injuries we all had, out of the seven. 

"What's wrong with you? What's the matter?" I asked her, my mouth muffled by the covers.

"According to Annabeth if I so much as hurt a hair on your head she will hunt me down," Hazel lied. At that point, I had to resist taking out my knives and slashing a hole in her chin, the only bit of her I could see from the angle. Honestly, we were friends! She could tell me anything and I wouldn't be mad. _Unless she stole my boyfriend_. But even if I could cut her chin, truthfully I wouldn't have. She looked so miserable, that I probably would have hugged her instead.

But what is with the _lies_?

She patted me carefully on the head one last time and cleaned the dried bloodstains trickling down my mouth. She brushed my wet snarly hair, and she took an onceover at my wounds. I almost snorted the remaining blood out of my mouth. Yep, that's it.

"Tell me what's wrong! You _know_ I hate being left in the dark." I growled angrily at her. Obviously she knew what I was mad about because her eyes went all soft and she placed a gentle hand on my cheek.

I attempted again, "What's wrong, Hazel?" She shook her head and put a finger to my ear. "Not now. You have to trust me on this. You are not to say a single word of what I will tell you tomorrow. Got it?" I nodded, impatient. Then she leans in towards me and puts her lips next to my ear. "I'm sorry Piper. I'm so, _so _sorry…"

I feel a tear slide down her cheek and on to mine.

"What for?" It's not like she's done anything wrong, has she? She hugged me tight, and I swear I could feel one of my ribs splinter.

"Hazel?" I murmur, strained.

"Yes, Piper?" She asked, probably thinking I'd say something intelligent and deep.

"I love you, but you're crushing me." She blushed in embarrassment and detangled her arms from my throbbing ribs, and I breathed a sigh of relief. Yeah, definitely broke another.

"Love you too, you're like a sister to me." She replies, and her eyes narrow in quiet determination and I hear something in her voice change. She looks more calm and attentive, like how she was on the Argo ll.

"So I'm not going to let you get hurt." She stated with an air of finality. She kissed the bruise on my forehead and was out the door faster than you could say 'Hades Helm'.

"Night, sis," I whispered into the evening. "See you tomorrow." I rested my clean but bloody neck on the pillow and hoped for a dreamless sleep. Sadly, it never came.

That night, I dreamt of one of the few pictures Gaea had shown me, the happiest times of my life, when my dad was with me. When I always felt safe. In one of the four times he was free from his acting career and mobs of fans. I was five years old, and he stood in regular modern clothes, no suits or ties, no fancy Wild West costume either. He gently rocked the swing back and forth.

I soared high up into the air, and squealed with glee. I was five-years old- pigtails and all. Whilst up in the air, I saw a gorgeous dark raven watching me with intelligent eyes like volcanic rocks. The pupils were slits of knowledge, and that should have been a warning. Laughing, I call out to Dad.

"Daddy, daddy! There's a bird! It's so pretty." His eyes crinkled at the corners. It _was_ very pretty. All of its feathers were perfectly aligned, and it stood with a look of pride and intelligence. My father agreed.

He nods. "It's a beautiful raven," he tells me. "Glossy feathers." I nodded. In all my time in school, I had never seen anything like it. So graceful, perfectly innocent. I locked my cherokee eyes to the birds, and I felt an electric shock tinge in the back of my brain. The bird had it's eyes frozen to mine, and I felt paralyzed. I was super confused; it was just a normal bird. But right before it flew away… I could have sworn the beak smiled.

I had a bad headache, so I asked Dad to stop swinging. I was crying and I complained to him.

"Daddy, my head hurts." Whining, unfortunately, gets you nowhere with my dad. He looked disapproving for a second before briskly nodding and cradling me, and I had my arms wrapped around his neck. I felt safe, secure, my little sanctuary. Unfortunately one of dad's photographers took the shot of me crying into his shoulder. Dad had to chase him away and that was the end of that. How much I would give for _a raven_ to be my biggest worry.

Suddenly, the scene changed, fading into shades of green and pink, until the color yellow overwhelms the green and mixes into the pink. Yellow? Oh no. The desert. No. _No._

Suddenly, I'm in the battle of three days ago, the one I'm trying to forget, and I feel my heart sink as I watch myself fight the hellhound. I see Lacy, oh _Lacy_, a few feet away and have to avoid bursting into tears as I see her struck down by the largest of the hellhounds. I watch myself rush to her. We exchange words and then she falls limp. I closed her eyes after kissing her forehead and look absolutely murderous. After hunting the hellhound, I see a girl walk effortlessly up, as if the rest of the battle didn't exist, and purposely miss my neck by a hair. In my dreamlike state, I can assure you my face would make a tomato look pale, from embarrassment and anger. The _nerve_!

We engaged in hand-to-hand combat, but from afar she seemed to know what battle me was going to do before I did. I saw myself look stunned as she flipped her knife into icepick, and I relived that moment of humiliation. How I had not noticed before, I will never guess. I floated closer to myself, as the young girl pinned me down.

Suddenly, my dreamlike state was merged into my body, and I saw Princess-Lady's mesmerizing black eyes once again. Or was that twice? I suddenly realized something. There was something familiar about the eyes, something that I couldn't place. I'd felt like I'd seen them before. Somewhere. I thought back to my father.

I suddenly understood the dream, this vision. I'd seen exactly the same eyes on that raven so long ago.

In the illusion, it suddenly started to rain, and I felt the damp wetness on my forehead. My eyes shot open to daylight, and I realized it was morning. Very early in the morning.

Gold eyes met mine, as the sunlight flowed into my pupils. She took a step back and I recognized her as Hazel. She then wet my head with a towel, cursing as her hand connected with my flesh.

"Gods, you're burning up!" She sighed. "Were you having a nightmare? I think you have a fever." I felt a little faint, but I tried to respond anyway, the towel felt so nice. I relished the ice-cold water coursing through the sticky heat of the fever.

I shook my head though it throbbed like hades. "No. Well, yes. A little in between, I think." She nodded, looking worried. I suddenly felt slightly worried, why was Hazel here? I voiced my question.

She frowned. "Are you serious?" She asked softly, no hint of teasing. "I told you yesterday." I remember and laughed. Hazel looked as if she believed I was mental, and shushed me.

She placed her hands gently on my shoulders and I ignored the pain blistering through them. If anyone were to look through the window it would look as if she was massaging my shoulders. With painfully strong… hands!

"Hazel!" I whisper shouted. "Too hard!" She looks back with an embarrassed face. "Sorry. I had to make it look convincing." I nodded, waiting for her to sit down and 'massage' my shoulders again, more gently this time.

"It starts like this," she began, sighing as if the memory was not one she would repeat. "You pretty much know about the battle. Lacy. All the monsters disintegrating. All that. You passed out in exhaustion, and nobody could touch you, you were radiating power. Well, no demigod could touch you, and the gods were just selfish jerks."

The sky rumbled, and Hazel flinched. "Well it's true." She muttered mutinously. The rumbling stopped.

"Percy was awake, but looked completely worn out. He had this crazed look in his eyes, and I don't think he knew at all what he was doing. We gave you ambrosia some, and you caught aflame. Percy staggered forward, and shot about five streams of water into your mouth, and you lay limp as a rag. Percy then collapsed, even that small act was too draining to perform without consequences." Hazel reluctantly told me in the brightest light she could.

Wow, I couldn't even stop myself from bursting into flame- brilliant, look it, the awesome good for nothing daughter of Aphrodite.

"You were still smoking though, and Thalia limped over and shocked you about three times until you choked the half-eaten piece of ambrosia out." I flushed in embarrassment. I hope Jason didn't see that.

"You were moved to the infirmary. And for unknown reasons," Hazel snarled in fury, "The gods claimed you were not to have any _medical treatment_." _Then how did I get these?_ I questioningly gestured to the horrible stitches and weak bandages.

"Well," her eyes glinted, "Katie and I attempted to patch you up. You would've been in an even worse position of we hadn't," Hazel muttered, wincing at my charred leg. She sighed.

"And then Chiron put Percy in the Infirmary and gave him ambrosia, already having a bucket of water in case Percy had the same result. What he said was true- Percy started to burn. Chiron poured the water in his mouth and he healed, well, he is a son of Poseidon after all. But slowly, if he were a regular mortal, he would have been fried immediately," Hazel continued.

"Good to know," I muttered, still taking in the information like a dead fish. It seemed to be bouncing off of my brain, refusing to let me believe the truth, like it was all a freakishly realistic nightmare.

She briskly ignored me and continued: "And when you both were out, Chiron got a whole load of packaging. He took one glance at them and turned deathly white. He went into his office and didn't come out for a day." _Day_? Wait, how long was I even out? I had expected it to be an hour or so… Maybe two. At the _most_.

"How… how long have I been asleep?" I asked, murmuring slightly. She looked sad, like she would rather not tell me, but then a harsher coldness came over her eyes, with it a look of protectiveness. "Just three days. But so much can _change_ in three days," she replied, dimly.

She then moved on to the next topic, as if I had never heard anything from her. What did she mean, _so much can change? _"After that, Annabeth was known to be really agitated, she wouldn't eat, and hardly slept. Always staring into her Daedalus' laptop." I nodded, understanding. When Annabeth set her mind to something, she never gave up.

"I was worried about her," Hazel bitterly declared, "and I asked her to tell me what was on her mind. She softened and told me that she had become so curious about the letters she had stolen them." I was pretty horrified. Annabeth was the one that always lectured me about stealing stuff, mainly 'borrowing but not returning' things.

Hazel took a deep breath, and I knew that this was the body of the conversation. "Then, she told me _everything._ The letters, Gaia's final wish, she told me that in the letter Gaia wrote… 'The two half-bloods, whom bloods failed to awaken me shall be sacrificed in my honor.' I thought about you and Seaweed Brain there, and was horrified. Completely disgusted."

A thought hit me.

"Wait, how did you know that Percy and I were the ones? The half bloods whose blood failed… ugh, you get the point."

She frowned. "I don't know. It just said so in the letter. I guess because you guys are the most powerful." Wait. I swear. My eyes must have popped out of their sockets and my mouth dropped open: I had just absorbed the information. I was… a _sacrifice_? Ignoring the tears welling in the corners of my vision, I calmed myself and faced Hazel, masking my face in a neutral expression; pursing my lips into a straight line.

I breathed softly, "And what was their excuse? The campers'? The gods'?" Hazel looked up, the beginnings of teardrops glistening in her swelling red eyes. "That you were… worthless," she spat. "Not worthy of their _existence_. Not worth trying… to save. That it was pointless." By this time, tears were rolling down my cheeks and the bed sheets were stained with blood and salt. Hazel stopped feeding me the information, but I still felt the intensity of her voice thrumming in my heart. Miserably, I gave her a watery smile. At least she was here.

A sudden thought shocked my mind, literally. "Thaila. She would have never abandoned us._ Never_. She's too loyal, most kids of the big three are." Hazel gave me a warm smile, as I dared her to say otherwise.

"She didn't-" I breathed a sigh of relief. "-A few demigods fought against it. They were furious. There was Grover, Juniper, Katie, Leo, Travis, Connor, Thalia and Reyna." Hazel listed the names, pointing them all out on her fingers.

How was this possible? Out of all people… Out of Camp Jupiter… _Reyna_? Reyna had tried to save _me_? Or was she trying to save Percy?

"And what happened to them?" I whispered, mentally swearing to burn down the Camp if they had been murdered. Hazel smiled, as If reading my mind, and looked thoughtful.

"They're alive." Those two words filled my entire being with relief and joy. They were alive. They were _alive_. But her next words stopped me cold.

"But barely. They are being contained. Forbidden to help you." A new thought occurred to me. Wait… wasn't _Katie_ one of those demigods Hazel had listed? I'd have sworn I'd seen her last night.

"What about Katie?" I inquired, painfully stretching my back. I saw her green eyes peeking from the Demeter cabin last night. They had a certain roundness to them I couldn't ignore, and I honestly could say that I had missed her attitude and kindness. And of course the way she beat the Hermes out of Travis every time he pulled a prank on her.

Hazel reassured me. "Katie, like me, is one of the demigods that have resolved to sneak you and Perce out. One of the quieter ones that blended into the crowd… Well, Travis wanted to be a, um, ninja, but even he knows how serious this is. Acted like they were okay with murder, slightly reluctant, but still prepared." I smiled. There were at least a few pure hearted campers, and the thought warmed my heart.

A matching pair of steady gold slits met my eyes. "We're going to sneak you out. The sacrifice will start as soon as Percy regains consciousness, and knowing his limits, it won't be long… so we're leaving tonight," she gestured to Percy, "dragging his useless butt behind us. Got it?" I nodded.

She smiled, her sinister grin fixed on the window as if still keeping watch. "Great, now here's the plan. All of the loyal demigods are in on it, Katie, the Stolls and I. Katie's packing the necessities, Travis is setting traps, Connor's making the escape route, and I'm getting us out. Understood?"

In shock the entire time, and resolved to do as she had originally planned; her idea of escape was a good one after all. With a reluctant sigh, I said the one word that would change my life, for the better. I said, "Yes."

At sundown, I was painfully hobbling around on crutches, practicing racing around. It was getting darker and darker outside, and the Stolls decided to keep 'watch' over me. As soon as the sun had set, Connor mumbled to me. "Ready?" And I nodded, because I wasn't capable of talking without the remaining blood spilling out of my mouth.

He grabbed Percy's legs and pulled with brute strength. There was a gruesome crack and Connor winced as he spotted the damage he had done to get him out of his bed: Percy's left collarbone was unimaginably twisted and there was a large split in the skin with the bone easily peaking out. Blood spilled relentlessly from the wound and I spotted a large sponge in the only sink and stuffed it into the cut, (did it qualify as a cut?) hoping to ease the steady flow of red liquid.

Satisfied, Connor dragged Percy onto her shoulder and heaved him up, he was unconscious. We rushed to the entrance of the Infirmary. Travis scanned our surroundings and when he found the clearing was barren of human life, he gestured for us to come. Travis completely blended into the background, he was wearing entirely black. Hazel joined us at the entrance, along with Katie. She looked completely mortified at her boyfriend's outfit, but gave Travis a peck on the cheek anyway, and sincerely handed Hazel the bag of basic survival. She hurried back to the Demeter Cabin after wishing us luck.

I was nervous because Percy was leaving a trail of blood, they could easily find is just by sending dogs or, in Artemis's case, wolves, to track them. I followed the sticky red substance as far as the border of camp. Painfully dragging myself across, I search my bag. I find some blood start to dribble down my mouth and feel embarrassed- jeez, I probably look like an 80 year old drooling. I had some of Connor's weapons, because he couldn't take more than Percy. He was carrying his sword though, strapped to his back.

Connor was leading the way, with Travis placing traps over all forest life we did not step on. I looked in the packed bag and spotted a gallon of water, about a pound of food, and some ambrosia, Hazel had insisted, even though it 'didn't work on me'. Without a second thought, I grabbed huge gauze from my camping bag; pushed it in my mouth, stopping a portion of the red from splattering on the leafy ground. Hazel helped me, drenching her hands with sticky blood.

"We need to strategize," I told her, stopping Travis and wrapping some of the gauze around Percy's collarbone so tight that I probably stopped his circulation. But I can and will worry about that later, right now all we needed to do was distance ourselves from the camp and hope Hazel and the Stolls can put on a good show. Lead them off our trail long enough to escape.

I grunted in torment as my mouth overflowed with blood, and I noticed the bandage was already soaked. How? I grabbed another and found it was hard to breathe. With excruciating pain, I heaved myself forward, and Hazel supported my left arm with her free shoulder. I grunted in arduous, and moved faster, reaching the edge of the forest less than seventeen seconds. I was sweating, my arms were overloaded and my left leg was in pure agony. I hear a voice in the woods, and I'm certain it's a demigod.

"Come on," Hazel hissed quietly, and she leapt, agile, and ran under the bushes to avoid the person. She crept downwind, so he could not see her. "Hello," she finally said, emerging from the branches and smiling like the Cheshire cat. I had to avoid bursting into giggles- one, because it would give away my position, and two- it would hurt like hell.

Her fake smile turned into a malicious grin, and she snapped her fingers- a tunnel appeared below him and he fell, yelling until she snapped her fingers again and the tunnel closed off. She growled menacingly. "Goodbye."

Thankfully, I hobbled through the hedge branches, gritting my teeth as the twigs all but impaled the scratches on my body. Hazel gestured for me to come, and I obeyed. Travis and Connor crept out of the bushes opposite us, looking at Hazel in awe. "Get over it," she muttered irritably. "Freaking Hecate."

Slowly, I made my way over to her and she told me to do whatever it took to get away from Camp Half Blood. I nodded, I appreciated her efforts, she must love us a lot to go through such risks to get us to safety.

"Kill whatever half blood comes your way. It's your life or theirs." I nodded my consent, though I felt slightly guilty at the thought of killing innocents. But then again how were they innocent when they plotted against us? Used _us_ as a human sacrifice?

_They're not_, I mentally argued. They're _guilty. _

The strange group led me a bit further into the woods, and Connor was panting from the deadweight that was Percy. He regretfully and sorrowfully said, "This was one of their hideouts. Annabeth's, Thalia's and Luke's." He whispered raggedly at the last name, breathing hard as he eyed the cave. "I'm just glad it will no longer be used for evil." He smiled. "My brother would be glad too." I nodded tearfully and looked at Hazel.

"Jason abandoned me… Didn't he? Tell me, please, the t-truth." I begged, my heart breaking with each word, but I saw the answer in her glowing eyes. I crumpled against the ground, sobbing. I had willed myself to be wrong. Every shard of hope I had once had had been demolished.

"You're worth so much more than him." Hazel promised. "I would make fun of him, but I don't think you could handle them in your state of mind." I gave her a watery smile. "I'm sorry," she added softly.

"I love you Hazel," I said, as she wiped the trail of tears off my cheeks. I liked that.

"I love you too, sis," she promised, "And I'll never forget you." I nodded numbly, and she understood that if I said a single word more than I would break down, and the escape would be ruined.

"Tell Percy… That no matter how much of… a Kelp-Head he is, he'll always be my favorite cousin." I almost burst into tears… almost. At once, the Stolls' heads shot up, rapidly scanning the area. They had been listening to our conversation in an awkward silence. I listened intently, and I could distantly hear approaching footsteps… It sounded like only one person, but if they managed to raise the alarm… Hazel looked horrified.

"I didn't know they'd find you so fast! You've got to get our of here!" She hissed, gnawing on the inside of her cheek. Clearly she was also fuming about having our moment ruined. Connor handed me Percy with ease and I almost collapsed under his weight- he was _so_ heavy!

"Get him into that tree and climb the branches." He told me, deadly calm. I nodded and hesitantly found a hole in the bark, and with obvious relief, slipped him in the trunk. Percy was entirely incased in the branches, safe, for now.

Travis murmered defensively. "Who's there. Show yourself." A young demigod around the age of twelve appeared.

"Travis? Connor? What are you doing here?" He asked mildly. "Wait!" He said furiously. I watched in horror as they shielded me with their bodies. "Stay back, Jeremy, don't come closer if you want to live." Connor spat at him in disgust, holding out his hand to me for his weapon. I was shocked at how much venom was in his voice.

I reluctantly handed a glinting knife down from the branches, and the boy was shocked when he caught a hold of my face. "Traitors…" he whispered to them. He started to run for the trees, but didn't make it ten meters. Connor raised his arm, and the knife soared through the air. He looked down sadly as the boy twitched and fell still. "He was our brother."

Travis looked at the boy's body miserably, but with no hints of remorse. "You're my only brother," he told Connor. I felt a surge of guilt and was immensely sad for the boy. He was only doing what the Camp had ordered him to do. At the same time, a spiteful side of me told myself that I was glad he was dead, I never had to worry about him again. Hazel frowned disapprovingly at him, like being there was some crime. She then turned coldly and faced me once again.

"You have to get used to killing, Piper." She said rather sadly. "I know you don't like killing demigods, but sometimes there's no other way." I nod in acceptance. "Okay." I agree, and she hugs me one last time.

"I should go," she tells me hesitantly. "I'll lead them off the trail, just tell me what direction you're … leaving in." She leans in and kisses my forehead with a sad sigh. It's scary how she can be savage one minute and compassionate the next. I love her, and I tell her once again. She pulls me in a tight embrace, and whispers around my tearstained feather.

"I'll miss you Pipes. Seaweed-Brain too. Stay strong, please."

I nod against her chest. Though she was physically younger then me, I knew one day she would match me in height. I had been looking forward to that day, and now I will never see it. _If either of us even live that long_, I thought forlornly. Her being 'traitor' and Percy and I hunted down.

"I have to go," she says finally. "They'll be coming any time now. I love you, always remember," she pleaded. I nodded, smiling. "I'll never forget you." I reply. I point west.

"In the morning, I'll be leaving that way." Hazel nods and gives me a light kiss on the cheek before melting into the darkness. Travis and Connor smile and say goodbye before disappearing into the trees, no doubt heading for camp.

I sigh. It's going to be a long night.

I crawl into the security of the branches, and no more that five minutes later, I hear the thundering of footsteps signaling the discovery of the escape.

I was snatched out of my daydreaming from a yell, emerging. "Yeah, that's right, they're this way, I saw them!" I heard Connor, his voice steadily fading away. I blotted my tears and understood that there was nothing else they could do for me – us – even if they wanted to. Their remaining loyalty had given us the chance to escape, and we had to take it. I fell into the curtains of sleep and stayed that way for a couple of hours.

I was jolted awake when I felt the branches shudder, and a furious pounding surfaced in the bark. I heard Percy start to yell. I don't think he had claustrophobia, did he? I immediately told him to shut up, using charmspeak. The pipsqueak shut up. I don't think he was asleep though.

"Where are you," he muttered, drowsily, as if in a daze. "Let me out." Piper looked through the bark at his face. "I will," I promised, "after we escape." His eyes shot open, "What escape?" He turned his head slightly in the bark to look at me. His eyes showed no recognition, just the pain that was registered in them.

"Why are you doing this? I need to see Annabeth!" I almost cried at the force of the tidal wave of love and desperation that crashed over him. Annabeth was gone. Worse, she had deserted him. After all the time in the giant war... Hades, he even went to _Tartatus_ for her! The deepest pit of evil in the earth. He was loyal, and forgiving while she was coldhearted and traitorous. Some couple- pfft.

I was snapped out of my thoughts when Percy growled at me, his senses crystal clear. "_Let me out_!" He snarled, brutally slashing and kicking, almost punching me in the face a couple of times. I begged him to calm down.

"Please, Percy, shut up! We're being hunted, you have to stay quiet." I whispered in his ear. Clearly, he recognized my voice, because his attempts to escape subsided. "Piper? Oh. It's you." He muttered, irritably. His face turned serious. His dimples vanished, as all exasperation evaporated into the musty forest air. As far as I could see, looking down at him. He was wearing the determined expression that he always wore. "Tell me this is a prank," he pleaded, looking up at me with pools of misery. "This is a dream,_ right_?"

I had to tell him. His eyes were depths of sadness, as if he'd awoken from a horrible dream. Or maybe it wasn't? I looked into the eyes that had seen so many deaths- inflicted so many deaths- and managed to find the purity, the innocence he still had in him. This was too much. This would break him. But I owed it to him- the truth. And so I told him, though I knew it would shatter his heart. "I'm sorry Percy," I breathed. "It's not."

Immediately, every drop of color drained from his face, and he all but collapsed in the tree. "Get me out of here," he rasped. Limping heavily, I dragged his bodyweight onto my shoulder and tried without prevail to heave him out of the tree. He grunted in agony whenever I pulled. After the fifth time, he glared at me with his piercing green eyes.

"This is not going to work."

I glared back. "You think?" I countered sarcastically.

An hour later, we were both sweaty and tired, but free from the damn tree. He and I were relaxing, well, as relaxed as you could be, injured and alert for any movement that could symbolize the enemy. Percy was in the same state I was. We were in pain, both emotionally and physically. He looked at me in despair, as if he wanted me to cry: _Joke, just kidding, can't believe you fell for that! _But it was impossible. And I think he realized.

After an hour of total silence, I heard a rustle in the trees. A camper fell out, dangling by a rope. _Travis's traps_… Suddenly, with a loud bang, Percy collapsed to the floor, panting madly. The air seemed to be choking him… Jason? No. It couldn't be. He was in Camp Jupiter anyway.

I watched in confusion and sick fascination as he writhed in agony before me, and with a grunt I dragged myself over to him and put a hand on his forehead. He was burning up! I looked in panic at the trees and saw few glinting eyes, watching, coldly observing.

"Help me, save him!" I begged. But is they heard, they showed no sign of it, and steadily blinked. I felt my hand catch searing flame, and looked down, panicking at the state of Percy. He was smoking, and obviously couldn't breathe. I took the little water I had and poured it over him, but the water simply evaporated into thin air. He then coughed, and gasped out smoke.

"Percy." I told him. "Stay calm." He wouldn't listen and got to his feet, trembling at the pain that was shuddering through his body. He looked directly into the branches, and started to speak, in a broken heartfelt tone, but every single person could hear him over the sound of his sizzling flesh.

"Just remember, that… I loved you. Loved you, _so much_." I felt tears threatening to spill over my eyelids and in an attempt to cover it up, wiped my charred hand over my cheek, catching the newfound tears on the sleeve.

"But you betrayed me." He said in such a hurt tone that I saw every glowing eye look down, except for one pair of dull grey that looked at him in despair, and slight anger.

"Goodbye, Percy." The pair of eyes blinked, murmured softly, and immediately he fell to the floor, writhing once again. The flames seemed to burn him down to his very core, and suddenly he was effulged in dark black flame. When the flames had ceased, Percy was_ gone_. I shivered. I was next.

All of a sudden, agonizing pain exploded in the surface of my throat, expanding, and demolishing the little relief I had felt. I felt the bubbled burning skin and the smell of acrid fire and smoke. In a split second, I felt the world spin, dizzily I tried to stand. Suddenly, the pain was so intense that I could do was scream in strenuous agony before darkness overwhelmed me, gently lapping over my forehead, a huge black wave. But somehow, I wasn't afraid, I greedily welcomed the unconsciousness, knowing that above, the traitorous campers were silently watching in the trees.

I heard and ear piercing shriek. "No! Murderers!" I turned with great pain to see Hazel on her feet screaming every single curse word she could think of.

"Traitors," she mumbled furiously. "_Traitors!_" She drew her _spatha_ from her belt and stabbed a camper. I tried to tell her we were okay, still alive… But my mouth felt like putty. Hazel yelled defiance, but I saw the lone pair of gray eyes narrow… Hazel fell to the floor with a thud: Annabeth's dagger protruding from her rib. I screamed.

The world faded into shades of black and grey, and I was encased in a black velvet cover.

**- Two Years Later -**

Dark mist covers the world of wake and I drift from consciousness to unconsciousness. Plagued by nightmares, sleeping, yet alert.

"You can awake now." Feminine and gentle, a voice soothes my mind and reassures me._ Where am I? _ Slowly, I begin to see the fuzzy outlines of shapes and sizes, and bright blurry colors. Color. A cold finder strokes my brow and I shiver, feeling some life and energy ebb away. The finger immediately retreats. _Hazel? Please let it be Hazel…_

"Are you okay?" She asked, her voice lingering in my mind. _It's not Hazel. _I was sure I'd heard it before, it held an echo of the past and I needed to know more about it. 'Yes, I think so'. I tried to respond, while her shape was slowly coming into focus. I found my lips unable to move. My body was… paralyzed?

"Talk to me telepathically." She told me kindly, and I mentally nodded. Finally, I could fully see her. Her skin was milky white and her hair was braided in an elegant Chinese style bun. She was wearing an elegant dark dress that seemed to reflect the infinite depth of the universe. But what frightened me the most were her eyes- dark pits of deadly black fire.

The same black fire that Percy and I had disappeared in. The same fire that had come out of my fingers. But where was I, and why was I here? The possibilities were endless. Was I leverage, bait? No, that was impossible; there was nobody that could care less about me in Camp half blood. Deciding to finally ask the question, I mentally and politely inquired.

"If I may ask, where am I and who are you?" I asked, deciding to be very,_ very_ polite. She radiated strength and more than enough power to triple the Big Three. She nodded, and for the first time, her mouth was not moving when she replied, very casually in fact.

"You are on the planet Meriopeua and I am Lady Chaos." I almost choked on my teeth, as I was starting to regain feeling, other than the numbness of not being able to move. In fact, I also discovered I could move my tongue. Wait. I mentally yelled. _The _Chaos_?_ She smiled amusedly, and absentmindedly tucked a stray piece of hair back in her bun.

"Yes, _the_ Chaos, as you call it." I was astonished. After that, I knew that she really _was_ communicating with me telepathically. Okay, this was _beyond_ creepy. She eyed me irritably, grumbling.

"I create my planet. _No, that's not enough_, they say. I create the _universe_, no _that's not enough_. I create life, but noo, _that's not enough_. I am not whatever this _creepy_ word means… Unless it means brilliantly awesome." I had enough regained enough feeling to laugh. The sound of relief and calm floated through my lips like a refreshing drink in sweltering heat.

Reality knocked me from my daydreaming state, and I looked around the room curiously. I was in a small black place, decorated with stars and other planets... I recognized Pluto, Jupiter and Neptune, but I could not see anymore that I could memorize on sight. A deep blue lamp was etched on the ceiling, and I was amazed at the detail in the one piece of art, so much more beautifully sculpted than any masterpiece on earth. Earth.

"Is Percy alive?" I demanded, for the first time, out loud. She smiled; I got the impression she knew that I was going to ask that all along. I could see the clarity in her eyes and knew he was okay, so I changed my question.

"Where is he?" Lady Chaos snapped her fingers; smiled a look of extreme interest. I looked at her more closely and realized that her hair was the black smoothness of the sky, braided with little stars and small glowing bulb, tying it all together. The sun? I examined her dress and it seemed to glitter. Black hole material, I was guessing. In the galaxy, I observed. Hmm. I doubt anyone else but Lady Chaos could find such high quality clothing. Again, I was proven wrong…

I was blinded by a flash of light at the edge of my vision. I heard quiet footsteps behind me. I looked back, surprised to feel no pain or ache, and saw a pure black pair of sneakers, baggy black hole pants and a midnight, star hoodie. Who in hades is _he_? Well, he must be high level ranking of he's wearing the same material as Lady Chaos.

"You're awake," he said in a familiar voice, full of relief and happiness. I frowned at him, trying to place where I knew him. Lady Chaos laughed out loud. "Why don't you re-introduce yourself?" she suggested sarcastically. I paused. How come she knew how to be sarcastic but not what the word 'creepy' means? She glared at me. Oops.

Stanger dude grinned, and said in a horrible British accent, "I am Griffin, just Griffin thank you, and one of the two apprentices of Lady Chaos." Lady Chaos smiled at him brightly, as if waiting for action. She then smirked at me and quickly sent him a quick mental message, and I think probably a shock, because he jolted.

"Okay, okay!" He yelped franticly. "Formerly known as Percy Jackson. Happy?" My jaw dropped. I probably stood open mouthed for about five minutes straight.

"Why's she _staring_ at me?" He whispered uncomfortably to Chaos. She drew herself to her full height and looked disapprovingly at him. _Hug him_, she mentally whispered. _Why? Don't ask. The boy has got _no_ social life…_

I nodded, shakily. This was too real for my liking. I carefully bent down, expecting to feel searing pain on my kneecap and backside, but I felt nothing other than an easy flow of my muscles as I leapt, agile, off the bed. Chaos looked at me, relieved and satisfied, as I briefly hugged Percy who looked slightly unsure of what to do.

Chaos looked in amusement at Per- _Griffin_, and said in an easy-going tone, "I suppose we have to explain everything now." Griffin looked at me and we groaned in harmony. Ugh. More explaining? I think I'd had enough to last through the afterlife.

I then sat, energetic on the couch while Griffon plopped tiredly besides me. What had he been doing? Anyway, he quickly started talking, wanting to get this over with. He paused for a second. "You have to help to," he grinned at Lady Chaos. "I know, I know." She winked. Okay, she knows how to _wink_, but not what the word _creepy_ is? Good lord.

She frowned dryly at me, and before I could make another comment, Griffin burst into laughter. "Lady Chaos, "creepy" means strange." Lady Chaos appeared insulted. "I am not strange," she said, looking completely offended. I hastily backtracked.

"I never said _you_ were strange, Lady Chaos, I said the situation was strange." Lady Chaos looked relieved. "Good," she said briskly, then nodded at Griffin. "You can proceed." I smiled while looking at Griffin, and gave Lady Chaos a wink in return. She beamed at me.

Griffin cleared his throat. "Ahem, so then I sunk in the ground, and when I woke up, Chaos told me it was almost two years since I'd fallen into unconsciousness." I blinked in shock. _Two years! _ I've been asleep for that _long_?

"Yeah," Griffin continued, "you have." Okay… so he's telepathic too? "Yeah." Griffin agreed. This feels strange. I looked at Chaos. I still had trouble believing that she was _the _Chaos. I looked at her like; 'Can you please explain things to me later?' She nodded: _Later, I guess. Griffin is horrible at explanations…_

Griffin grinned, "I heard that you know," He chuckled, "but just so you know, it's not true." I smiled.

"Well, _anyway_, when I woke up I was in a different room, exactly the same but white." White? Whatever. "And I was told by Lady Chaos that I was –_if-_ I accepted- to be one of her apprentices." I nodded, sucking every word into my brain.

"Okay. Then what?" I asked nervously.

"Well, Lady Chaos, I think you can take it from here." She nodded. I could tell there was a little tremor in her step as she walked up to me. "Piper McLean… would you please do the honor of becoming my second apprentice? You know, in case one of you die." I almost snorted. _In case Percy dies_? Seriously?

She nodded. "Seriously." I grinned. "Great. So I can beat Griffin in every activity here?" They both snorted at exactly the same time and rolled their eyes in unison. He smirked, "You're on."

"Okay I accept, Lady Chaos, thank you for giving me this wonderful opportunity." She nodded wisely. "It's for the best. " She mentally added. _That you change your name._ I nodded. Thinking of whatever name I wanted was almost a dream come true!

"Um… Destiny," I told her at last. "I'm Destiny." She smiled at me approvingly. I frowned. Why does she have so many different moods?

"I'm getting to that part right now," Griffin interrupted. "Okay, so each of the gods, you know, Athena, Zeus, Aphrodite-"

"I haven't forgotten, Griffin." I spoke through gritted teeth. "Oh right," he said, blushing_. Kelp for Brains, _I thought mutinously.

Lady Chaos burst out laughing. "_Kelp for Brains_?" she spluttered. Percy face palmed, but a blush was creeping up his cheeks. "_Destiny!_ She's going to tease my about this forever! And I mean _forever_."

Lady Chaos and I shared a smirk. Mentally, I told her_, I can tell you all of his other nicknames; they're hilarious! _She smiled evilly.

Griffin glared at me. "Don't. You. Dare... _Anyways_, Lady Chaos made the gods out of her different personalities."

Lady Chaos interrupted. "You see, I had- have a lot of arrogance, so to compress it, I had to put it into Zeus. I had too much wisdom, knew things that were supposed to stay buried, so I gave it all to the seer Metis, whom passed it down to Athena. I then had too much beauty, mortal men padding after me, not realizing who I was –idiots- and it was a disaster! So I put it in the sea and Aphrodite was born from the ashes of my beauty, and so on."

My head was spinning from overload of information. "Anything else?" I choked dryly. "Do you have a pet phoenix or hippo?" Lady Chaos looked amused, "Only a phoenix, hippos are dreadfully messy creatures."

_Urg. _Lady Chaos looked concerned and asked Griffin, "What does this _urg_ word mean? Another foreign word… if creepy and strange are the same word, why not just call them creenge or straepy." Griffin stifled a laugh. Gods, I did _not_ call the creator of the universe creepy! I said the _situation_ was creepy!

"Come on, Desty." He said. I halted in my tracks, "You did _not_ just call me Dusty, Griffy." He almost threw up his lunch.

"Griffy? Is that the best you can do? And I didn't say Dusty, I said _Desty_." I smiled.

"Considering you look nauseous I think the situation fits," I grinned, teasing.

Lady Chaos interrupted our squabble, sighed and said, "Can you too stop flirting? I need to give Destiny her new power as my apprentice." Both Griffin and I blushed beet red. _We were not flirting!_ I said telepathically. She smirked, knowingly. "Hmm, Hun, you both told me that at exactly the same time."

I groaned loudly. "Hi aspect of Mom." She smiled at me and seemed to become more beautiful every second.

"Come on now dearie, I need to give you your powers!" She squealed.

I turned, annoyed, to Griffin. "Please tell me she is only like this one twelfth of her immortal life." Percy grinned. "Can't do that. She switches all the time."

Lady Chaos swiveled my shoulders so that I was facing her. "Hon, will you, Destiny McLean, swear by me to be loyal and fight for the side of your fellow comrades?" I nodded.

"Destiny McLean, you will herby be known as Destiny and Destiny only, sacrificing your maiden name." I nodded again. A pang of remorse shot through me but I ignored the thought.

"I give you your newfound powers, for now and eternity. Do you accept?" I nodded with a sense of finality, closing my eyes and letting the darkness once again lap me into unconsciousness. I wonder how long I'll be asleep this time…

When I awoke, I was still in the same room. I felt kinda different, powerful. What in hades? I looked down at my _sleeping form_… Yeah there was something wrong with that picture. My consciousness was outside my body! I suddenly felt a stronger power than I, the aura pulsing with energy as it entered the room.

"Don't worry, Destiny, your mind will take a while to re-settle into your body." I waited for an hour or two, completely numb, a chord slowly growing from the limp body on the bed. Soon enough, I felt a pull in my heart and the chord yanked me gruesomely into back into my body.

"Did that really just happen?" I asked Lady Chaos, who was sitting right next to me. She nodded. Great, so I was delusional and seeing my body. Like, seeing my own body. Okay… this was _so_ beyond creepy.

"Again with the creepy word!" Lady Chaos sighed in exasperation. I stifled a laugh. I took a quick scan around the room, relishing that I was in the same place as before, but in different… wait, what the hades?_ Clothes_?

"What am I wearing?" I asked Lady Chaos nervously, afraid of what the material might be. As far as I could see, it was exactly the same material as Griffin's outfit.

She smiled, "Your blouse is made of pure black celestial metal," I fingered the light material, how the hell was this metal? "The black jeans are made of normal, but tough leather and has sliding celestial bronze plates," I stretched my legs and marveled how the leg plates slid soundlessly into the folds of my skinny black jeans.

"Your anklet," she continued. Wait, I was wearing an anklet? Oh. Yeah, I was, "Is made of deadly stygian iron, but dipped massive amounts in the Styx, and carries a denser amount of death, giving you the option if bringing back the dead."_ Anything else? Do I have metal wings now_? I thought sarcastically in my mind.

"No," she told me, giving me a strange glance, "But you _do _have a necklace… It holds immense power. If you prove yourself, it will, hopefully, accept you."

I swear, right then, my eyes popped out of my sockets. I'm going to be accepted by a necklace? Kill me now. Lady Chaos continued, as if she didn't see me having a massive heart attack.

"I don't know what it is made of, but I know it contains extreme power in the stone, therefore giving it the effect of invisibility," _Like Annabeth's_, I thought furiously. "As well as control over the elements."

I frowned, "Will my power over water be as strong as P- uh, Griffin's?" She shook her head.

"Griffin has his previous powers, and the elements added was just a boost for him, he got one of these stones-" she pointed to my necklace, "- embedded in a chain necklace, because he thought it was _cooler_." She hesitated. "My brother," she told me reluctantly, "helped me create the universe. Our father, as his dying gift, gave us the two necklaces." I frowned.

_Lady Chaos had a brother?_ "Actually," she sighed. "I still do." I muttered under my breath. "But he went bad." _Bad? How do you go bad? Does she mean he rotted? Like an apple? _

"No," she hissed through gritted teeth.

"He turned evil. He wanted to destroy what we had created, because he received a prophecy. He never liked taking risks… When I received it, he went crazy, fixed on eliminating every possible threat." She concentrated for a few seconds, squinting her eyes, and she stood up, full of satisfaction. Immediately, her pupils narrowed into slits, and I backed away a few steps.

"Lady Chaos?" I asked in a small voice, scared.

A snakelike voice erupted out of her throat. Lady Chaos sank through the ground and floated, hovering lightly just above me, as a torrent of green light flooded from her eye sockets and mouth. In monotone, she rasped:

"Faked death, they now return

Though many days their hearts shall yearn

To be recoiled with the traitorous minds

That they have yet to leave behind

Destined to die, but yet they don't

Destined to help but yet they won't

To assist the minds of evil and greed

These purest souls shall not proceed

But these two children will be of doom

Be assured they are coming soon

One will save them from their fate

One will die so full of hate."

Lady Chaos dropped to the ground, shivering. Her pupils rounded, and I breathed a sigh of relief. It was over. "Lady Chaos?" I asked, tentatively. "Are you okay?" She nodded, shakily. "I hate that feeling; that's why I gave Apollo the power of prophecy." I nodded, not quite knowing what to say. I gave her a small hug, and she shook her head once, as if expelling the feeling before hugging me back.

She radiated warmth. "Hi, aspect of Hestia," I said, smiling. "Hello dear," she replied.

"I'm sorry about your brother." I whispered, hesitantly. She tensed, then relaxed. "It's alright. After I discovered what he planned to do, I cornered him. It was just a matter of strength, and fortunately, I overpowered him." More strongly, she added, "He is in the deepest part of my dungeons." I frowned.

"Like… Tartarus?" She shivered. "Much, _much_ worse." She sighed. "I wish not to speak of him. It is best if you do not either. The people here will still remember when he terrorized them into agreeing to destroy the universe."

I perked up. "The people?" She smiled. "You are just like Griffin, do you know that?" I cocked my head curiously, and she gave a laugh like tinkling bells. "Yes, the people. You didn't think I lived alone, did you?" I chuckled.

''Nope," I said, popping the p. "Of 'course not." _Wait a second. Wasn't earth an element?_ I groaned. _Life would've been so much easier if she'd just given us the element necklaces beforehand, when we were battling Gaia._ I voiced my comment.

"You couldn't have given us the power over elements - earth- before we battled Gaia?" Again, she shook her head, smiling. "No, you two had to prove yourselves worthy." Worthy? I almost _died _every five seconds!

Sighing, I preceded my previous train of thought. _I know heroes and heroines are supposed to be brave, but really? Do we all need to suffer so many hardships? I guess we did need to prove ourselves… At least we aren't alone, there were more people living on this planet, right?_

"Right," she told me, smiling, "and on all the other planets." I frowned. There were other planets?

"So… Like the roman gods… uh, planets… Jupiter, Pluto, Neptune?" I questioned. She nodded. "There is Vulcan too."

_Can you show me around your planet?_ I asked her in my mind. She beamed; smiled gracefully at me. _Of course, after all, I need to introduce you to my home. _

She offered me her hand, and I took it. I was holding hands with _Chaos_. Oh my gods. She rolled her eyes and snorted, "Congratulations." Smiling, she led me out of the room to the planet I had completely no information or mental picture about.

"We're going sightseeing. Oh, and, welcome to your new home."

**Ahh! Sorry, I know I didn't add a twist, but isn't it surprising that Lady Chaos is a girl? I'm really tired of all the sexist comments against us, so just live it up and be a woman! I decided to cut it off at 10 000 words, because it's easier, and I can give you guys more reading material in a shorter period of time! Please press the magic review button down there and tell me what you think, and I will **_**hug**_** you later on! Keep up the awesomeness! Love all you!**


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